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<title>A Miracle At Last by Ragtime-Doll (TheMysteryWriter), TheMysteryWriter</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24217111">A Miracle At Last</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMysteryWriter/pseuds/Ragtime-Doll'>Ragtime-Doll (TheMysteryWriter)</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMysteryWriter/pseuds/TheMysteryWriter'>TheMysteryWriter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fishing Buddies AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Bendy and the Ink Machine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fishing Buddies AU, Fluff, Gen, Henry doesn’t suffer for once, Henry is alone no longer, Hurt/Comfort, I’m still bad at tags, Jeb The Fisherman, Wholesome, more will be added as time goes on, spoilers for BATIM</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:02:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,769</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24217111</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMysteryWriter/pseuds/Ragtime-Doll, https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMysteryWriter/pseuds/TheMysteryWriter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p></p><div class="center">
  <p>Henry’s been stuck in this studio forever. Forced to go through the same events time and time again, all alone on his quest to escape and set everyone free.</p>
  <p>He’d about given up hope anyone besides him would ever remember.</p>
  <p>..Until..</p>
</div>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fishing Buddies AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1748539</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Miracle At Last</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p></p><div class="center">
  <p><b>PLEASE NOTE!</b> This is the 2nd fic in the Fishing Buddies AU saga. If you have not already, I highly recommended you read “A Much Needed Respite” before this one to fully understand the story. Thank you!<br/>(Link: <span class="u">https://archiveofourown.org/works/17720366)</span></p>
  <p>🎵 Mood Music: <span class="u">https://youtu.be/Mn1bQ8aWqZ0</span><br/></p>
</div>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Henry couldn't describe the feeling when he first learned Jeb remembered the time loops.</p><p>He couldn't describe that minute of sheer, jaw-dropping shock, followed by the spark of elation and hope that lit up within him like someone pouring oil on a dying flame.</p><p>What had started out as another tedious trek through the studio, had quickly turned into a life-changing experience for Henry Stein, and the beginning of the end.</p><p>It all happened when the artist stopped at the Lost Harbor to take some time to relax with his self-proclaimed buddy, Jeb the Fisherman. Despite the fact that it was the ‘first time’ Jeb was technically ever meeting him, much to Henry’s surprise and relief, upon his request for a fishing buddy, the laidback and seemingly carefree Lost One accepted his request with no hesitation.</p><p>Bringing down an extra pole like he had that first time, he joined him on the dock, where they sat down side by side to fish like old work pals enjoying a Sunday afternoon at the lake.</p><p>It was quiet for a bit, save for the sound of ink softly lapping against the dock, before Henry glanced over out of the corner of his eye to observe Jeb for a few moments. It was so odd.. Despite him being a creature of the ink, he always looked so relaxed and peaceful, like he could just sit there all day, fishing into a lake that—except for a few rusted relics—never had anything to catch, without any problem. It was so different than the other Lost Ones he had met. <em>“Does it really just not bother him?”</em> Henry couldn't help but wonder.</p><p>“Hey— he finally spoke up, and a turn of a head told him he had gotten the Lost One’s attention. “How do you do it?” When Jeb looked at him curiously, he continued. “How do you fish everyday, even knowing that there’s not much to catch down here? Don’t you ever get tired of it?</p><p>Jeb blinked, then looked down at his pole and shook his head as if to say, “no, not really.” Stretching out his hand, he wrote a few words on the dock below them with his inky finger for Henry to read. He couldn’t speak as far as the man could tell, so this was his only way of communication.<strong> “I fish, because it’s better than moping around. If I’m stuck down here, I might as well try to make the best of it.”</strong> He blinked those calm, glowing eyes at Henry.</p><p><em>“That simple, huh?”</em> Henry couldn't help but admire his reasoning, chuckling as he turned his head to look back out across the lake. “I see.. Wish I could think of things that way too..”</p><p>Jeb grumbled in a prompting manner, and Henry got the feeling he was questioning if there was something on his mind. He debated for a moment, then sighed. Maybe talking through it with him might help.</p><p>“See.. I’ve been on this journey for a while now, to get out of the studio? So far though, everything I’ve done has been in vain. Day after day, it’s the same old thing; the same old song and dance. I’ve grown so tired of it. I thought that.. maybe something changed when I first met you. Maybe! A new path had opened up, but going through everything again, it doesn’t look like it.”</p><p>He dropped his gaze to his fishing line, which was gently bobbing amidst the inky waves, like a tiny boat out at sea. “I’m starting to wonder if I’m ever going to get out of here.. Despite how hard I keep trying to find a way to fix this mess, to get home, it doesn’t do any good. The ending never changes. No one ever remembers. It’s exhausting..”</p><p>Henry sighed, then shook his head with a tired chuckle when he realized he was probably confusing the Lost One. “Sorry.. I shouldn’t be dropping this all on you. You just met me after all, and it’s not like you understand anything I’m talking about..”</p><p>He was just one man, barely able to keep himself alive as was. How was he going to be able to save everyone else too and break this curse? Make things right? If he had someone, just one person, who was aware of the situation too, then maybe they would have a better chance, but the likeliness of that happening was a million to one..</p><p>There was a strange, yet sad look written on Jeb’s face, like it genuinely hurt him to hear Henry so upset. The silence was heavy for a moment, then the artist heard him scratch out what he presumed to be a reply on the dock. A low grumble drew his attention towards the words that had been written, and Henry’s breath caught.</p><p>
  <strong>“Actually Henry, I do understand.”</strong>
</p><p>The animator’s eyes flew up to the Lost One, who was staring back at him with those knowing, empty ones that suddenly seemed more aware and full of life than Henry remembered them being. It was enough to make him take pause in assuming that Jeb was just saying that to cheer him up. "..What?" He had to be misunderstanding him.</p><p>Jeb’s gaze stayed locked with his own, only briefly shifting to focus on the words he began to write before returning as they were completed. And as he wrote them, unbeknownst to Henry, Jeb was finally saying what he had been wanting to since he first became aware of the man’s plight.</p><p>
  <strong>"You aren't alone.”</strong>
  <br/>
  <strong>“I know about the time loops too. That this place is stuck repeating, with you at the center of it all.”</strong>
</p><p>It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.</p><p>Henry stared in shock at the words as he processed what he was reading, before letting out a short exhale as he felt his mind suddenly start to reel like a fisherman’s catch spinning wildly out of control. <em>“What?”</em> He breathed. “But that’s— Y-you do?!"</p><p>Someone remembered? Someone besides him ACTUALLY remembered?!</p><p>Things began to click in his mind immediately. Was this why Jeb had said before that Henry looked like he needed a break? Why he hadn’t been surprised or afraid at all when he approached him this loop around? Had it always been like that and Henry just never noticed—?</p><p>The inky creature next to him nodded, seemingly very calm about the whole situation; not the typical reaction of anyone Henry had told about the loops before. His next words only added to Henry's disbelief and elation as he read them.</p><p>
  <b>"I've seen you fight Sammy and the others here."<br/>"..You'd think they'd learn by now that you and your friends always win."</b>
</p><p>An event that had yet to happen.. that hadn't occurred in this timeline yet! Henry could scarcely breathe as he stared at the inky words in disbelief, the black marks serving as an oasis to his metaphorical desert and causing him to let out a dumbfounded laugh as he ran a hand through his hair.</p><p>Of all people.. After all this time..</p><p>He had imagined before what it might be like if he were to ever meet someone who remembered the time loops like he did. Perhaps a survivor of the studio, hiding within the cracks in the walls, or old Joey Drew, finally getting out of that stupid house and acknowledging his blunder, however unlikely that was.</p><p>He had imagined the things he would say, how their conversation might go; maybe something along the lines of how nice it was to not be alone anymore, or wondering how this whole situation had become so messed up in the first place..</p><p>But now that that moment was here, happening in front of him like he had played out in his head so many times before, Henry suddenly found that he couldn't speak, his throat closing up on him as an overwhelming swell of emotion rose up in it.</p><p>Instead of a well thought out speech, all that came out of his mouth was a small sob as he suddenly crumbled, eyes filling with tears and reducing him to a mess of shaky weeping. When he couldn't rein himself in, he hunched over and hid his face in his hand in pure embarrassment, drawing a startled noise from the ink creature.</p><p><em>So long.</em> So many times he had journeyed through the studio, looping again and again through it's endless hallways. Wearily living a story that never truly changed, never remembered or let him go; forcing him to fight all alone in his search to beat Bendy and find an escape.</p><p>So long he had been searching for answers, for hope, only to be answered time and time again by inky searchers and a hulking, dripping, ink demon.</p><p>So many times he had tried to change things, to convince the others this wasn't the first time they were meeting, but nothing ever stuck.</p><p>So to hear those few words, just those few.. simple words, was like a heavy burden being lifted from his shoulders. A strange sense of liberation now overwhelmed him completely, and in those mere moments, his strength failed on him entirely, his entire body weakening to the point where he couldn't even hold himself together anymore.</p><p>A new feeling washed over him next, harsh like alcohol on a fresh wound. <b>Terror</b>.</p><p>That's right. Nothing ever truly changed here.. This wasn’t happening! The ink fumes were making him hallucinate this— it was all a fever dream brought about by some bad bacon soup—! Soon enough he would wake up somewhere in the studio, cold, sweaty, and bitterly alone again—!<em> No, please..!</em>He didn't think he could bear that—!</p><p>"Bbrghry?"</p><p>But then, he felt a hand gently touch his back, heard the worried gargle from his fishing buddy, and knew at once that this was real. Relief flooded over him again with even more crushing force, and he brokenly sobbed as Jeb comfortingly pat his back.</p><p>Someone else knew, he wasn't alone anymore..!</p><p>It was a miracle.</p><p>Henry couldn't exactly remember what happened next in his daze, having just cried his poor old heart out and already being exhausted from the loop's events, but he vaguely recalled the Lost One setting their poles aside and helping pick up his tired old self. To take him to a house and a bed, where he slipped into a quiet, peaceful slumber. A slumber where he was floating on air, the usual dreams of being chased by the ink demon and fighting for his life far from his mind.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>Thank you for reading. Please leave me a comment if you enjoyed! It really helps my productivity. :’3</p>
  <p>I’m so happy I’m back to writing more of these two. I adore this AU more than any of you can possibly imagine. It is my LIFEBLOOD right now. Henry having a friend who remembers and can understand his plight warms my heart SO much, because the poor man has had it hard enough, and he needs some happiness. &gt;o&lt; I genuinely love the both of them, and can’t wait cause I have SO MUCH MORE to share.</p>
  <p>Not sure when the next update will be, but there WILL be one! After all, Henry and Jeb's grand ole adventure has only just begun! ( :3</p>
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